Adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, and device

ABSTRACT

An adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, and device is described. The adjustable spinal support allows for easy customization of a desired spinal contour. The support provides a structure for using non-deforming space adjusters, individually or in combination, to create various thicknesses along the length of the support. The support may be removably secured to a recliner.

BACKGROUND

I. Field

The disclosed embodiments relate to an adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, and device.

II. BACKGROUND

Many people suffer from some form of spinal injury. Injuries can be caused from trauma like a car accident, or simply from deterioration over time. Common spinal injuries can cause severe pain if the spine is not supported in a certain position. There are many different types of spinal injuries that can occur. A common spinal injury, for example, is a slipped disc. A slipped disc (intervertebral disc) may push in a particular direction, causing the vertebra body to lose symmetry and height. The vertebra can experience strain as its “shock absorber” isn't functioning properly. Also, a slipped disc can bulge and push on a nerve causing pain. Limiting the motion of the injured area can help reduce pain and encourage recovery. Another type of spinal injury is degenerative disc disease. There are many different types of degenerative disc disease that have different cause and effects. For example, with Spondylolisthesis, if the joints or discs degenerate enough, they can become mechanically ineffective, causing one vertebral body to slip forward on another deforming the spine. This can be quite painful. Sometimes the back's muscles try to adjust for the instability caused by the deformation and spasm as a result. This can cause pain as well. Again, providing support can take pressure off the back and its muscles and allow them to rest, not spasm, or cause pain. Many spinal injuries benefit from motion-limitation as provided by a spinal support. One of the problems with current spinal supports is that they are soft and/or conforming. They do not provide the firm stability that is often needed and/or desired in a spinal support. For example, a “memory foam” type support will compress and conform when force is applied, and spring back into shape when the force is removed. Or another example, common back and neck supports are constructed of pillows or chambers filled with gel, air, or stuffing that also have deformability characteristic to them. Often these fail to provide the accuracy and level of stability and/or firmness needed to reduce pain. Moreover, these types of supports can't be adjusted to the exact support and shape people want for their specific spinal injury. For example, a spinal injury can occur anywhere on the spine causing it to lean or tilt or move in many different directions. People need to be able to customize the support to their exact preference. Sometimes just being off by fractions of an inch in the adjustment can cause pain. Moreover, the support may need to change over time. Some spinal injuries are temporary, while others progressively worsen over time. So non-conforming and/or accurate customizable supports are needed. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, and device.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, an apparatus is described for adjustable spinal support. The apparatus comprises, at least one thickness adjuster, a support base that supports a plurality of thickness adjusters, wherein the thickness adjusters are incompressible, a securer attached to the support base, wherein the securer secures the at least one thickness adjuster to the base, and a support fastener attached to the support base.

In another embodiment, a device for adjustable spinal support is described. The device comprising, a support structure comprising a plurality of stretchable tubular shaped receptacles, at least one spacer, wherein the spacer comprises substantially incompressible thickness, wherein at least one tubular receptacle contains at least one spacer, and a support fastener attached to the support structure, wherein the fastener attaches the spinal support to a recliner.

In yet another embodiment, an adjustable spinal support is described, comprising, means for supporting a plurality of thickness spacers, wherein the thickness spacers are non-deforming, means for securing at least one thickness spacer to the means for supporting, and means for fastening the adjustable spinal support to a reclining device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following embodiments may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The figures are presented for illustration purposes only, and may not be drawn to scale or show every feature, orientation, or detail of the embodiments. They are simplified to help one of skill in the art understand the embodiments readily, and should not be considered limiting.

FIG. 1. illustrates a car seat view of the embodiment(s).

FIG. 2A. illustrates an embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support.

FIG. 2B. illustrates another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support.

FIG. 3A. illustrates yet another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support.

FIG. 3B. illustrates another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support.

FIG. 4. illustrates an embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support.

FIG. 5. illustrates a bed view of the embodiment(s).

FIG. 6. illustrates a simplified spinal segment comprising a disc injury.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide an adjustable spinal support. Representative examples of the following embodiments, will now be described in further detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art details for practicing the preferred aspects of the embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments.

The disclosed embodiments describe an adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, method, and device. As mentioned previously, many people suffer from many different types of spinal injuries. FIG. 6. helps to illustrates a type of spinal injury. FIG. 6 illustrates a simplified spinal segment 600 comprising a disc injury. As is commonly known, the spine is comprised of vertebras or vertebra bodies 605. Normally, healthy discs 615 help cushion and act as “shock absorbers” in-between the vertebras 605. Nerves 610 run out from, and around from, the vertebras. When an injured disc 620 that isn't functioning properly causes the spine to be deformed and tilt, lean, or place additional pressure on areas of the spine pain may result. For example, nerve 630 may be pinched from the unsupported vertebras, or an injured disc 640 may be pushing on a nerve and cause pain. Limiting the motion of the deformed spine may help reduce pain and/or promote recovery.

Often people with injured spines need or desire a firm, consistent, customizable (adjustable) spinal support to help relieve pain and/or encourage recovery. People when sitting, driving, sleeping, etc. tend to recline in a variety of positions depending on the setting. For example, a person may want a different support contour in one setting over another. They may want a different contour at different times and/or over time. A person with a spinal injury may want a specific contour while driving that is different from a contour while reclining in a chair or laying in bed. So the support needs to be customizable while working in a variety of reclining settings. Also, because movement or lack of support may cause pain, a firm and consistent contour is desirable. Moreover, it may be useful if the adjustability and use of the support is simple, affordable, and convenient.

The various embodiments basically comprise, broadly speaking, four main “functionalities.” Some of these functionalities may be shared together in one component. Some of the embodiments may be missing one of the main functionalities. The main functionalities are described in terms of broad categories for the sake of simplicity of understanding and should not be construed to limit. They are broadly speaking a base, thickness adjusters, adjuster securer, and support fastener. The base and/or adjuster securer provides a structure for the adjusters, which in turn combined, produce the customized contour down the length of the spine or a segment of the spine. The fastener removably secures the spinal support to a recliner. A recliner may be any structure that a person sits on like a chair, car seat, office chair, seat, back rest, Lazyboy®, lawn chair, cushion, lounge, sofa, airplane seat, stretcher, bed platform, box spring, a wheelchair etc. A recliner may also be a bed, mattress, cot, hospital bed, gurney, or anything a person may lie down on. Collectively a recliner may be described as a reclining device. Referring now to the figures for more detailed explanation.

FIG. 1 illustrates a car seat view 100 of the embodiment(s). The recliner or reclining device 101 shown in FIG. 1 is a common generic car seat. The support base, base, base portion, or support structure 105 in this embodiment comprises a series of tubular shaped receptacles that may retain the thickness adjusters, spacers, thickness spacers, or contour adjustors 115. In this embodiment the thickness spacer securer, thickness adjuster securer, or spacer securer, is built into the base portion. e.g. the tubular shaped receptacles 125 that hold the spacers. Thus, in some embodiments the securer 125 may be an inherent part of the base 105. A support fastener, stabilizer, support stabilizing system, support stabilizer, or fastener 110 secures the support to a recliner. As it may be seen from FIG. 1 the spacers may be used individually or combined to create varying widths along the base (spinal area) that in turn create a customizable support contour. The call out view of the spacers shows six spacers being used in conjunction to create a different width on that specific area of the spine. The thickness adjusters may be easily pulled in and out of the tubular receptacles to adjust the contour as desired. Side view A shows how an embodiment may be a single layer 120 of tubular receptacles 125. For more width adjustment range, a double or multiple layer 130 of tubular receptacles may be used as shown in side view B. In an embodiment of a multiple layer tubular receptacle, the base portion 135 may be in-between the tubular layers. The base portion 135, however, may be on one side of the layers, or built into the layers as shown with base portion 105. Side view C shows how the multiple layered embodiment 140 may be filled with adjusters to show the additional depth that is producible.

In an embodiment, the tubular receptacles may be constructed relatively affordably and simply from, for example, a stretchable fabric like a knit that contains some Spandex®. Any material that is slightly elastic in nature may work for the purpose. For example, a knit fabric, mesh, membrane, ligature, corduroy, or netting may work. In this embodiment, the “tubes” may securely hold one adjuster and/or stretch to hold a plurality of adjusters. An empty receptacle, would provide no significant difference in the back contour for that area on the base. The receptacles, across the length of the base, may be configured in a variety of quantities to adjust contour granularity. In an embodiment there may be three receptacles across the length of the base. The receptacles are sized to securely house (hold) the spacers and may vary in width depending on the type of spinal support desired. If there are three receptacles across the length of the base, they may be for example, about ten inches in width. In this embodiment, the receptacles are wider and provide less granularity in the contour shape. For example, the base may comprise three to ten receptacles that vary in width from ten inches to two inches respectively. In another embodiment, for example, a spinal support that requires higher granularity or customization may have twenty-four smaller dimensioned receptacles (“tubes”). In this example, the tubes may be about an inch wide and provide more accurate support. As one of skill in the art can ascertain, the size and amount of the receptacles may vary to adjust the contour granularity of the spinal support as desired.

Moreover, the receptacles and/or spacers may be spaced close together down the length of the support, or spaced apart from each other down the length of the support depending on the desired effect. For example, in the embodiment of tubular receptacles the receptacles are spaced very close to each other, in fact, they may share a common seam. However, the tubular receptacles may also be spaced apart from each other without sharing a common seam as well. In an embodiment, the spacers may be spaced apart from each other down the length of the support anywhere from a quarter of an inch to three inches or more.

In addition, the spacers may be a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the desired embodiment and affect. In an embodiment the spacers may be oblong or rectangular shaped. The spacers may have rounded or beveled edges for comfort. They may be sized to fit within the thickness securers. For example, they may be an inch to ten inches wide. They may be long or short in length depending on the embodiment. For example, when using the spinal support on a bed, the length of the spacers may be longer than for a car use. A person may wish to create a spinal support over a large area of a bed. In that embodiment, the spacers may be anywhere between one inch and seventy six inches in length (or about the width of the bed). Additionally, a person may have a “bucket” car seat and need spacers that are shorter to fit inside the car seat properly.

The spacers (a.k.a. thickness adjusters) may be fairly rigid or firm. They may be made from a material, substance, or any combination of such that is substantially incompressible or basically non-deforming. Substantially incompressible or incompressible here means that ordinary distributed force will not compress it. Most materials may be compressed with enough pressure and/or over a limited area. For example, a piece of wood may be compressed by a screwdriver being pushed with great force on it. But a force that is distributed across some area of the wood will not compress the wood. For example, a child sitting on a wooden swing seat. Some materials hardness are described with specific units like rubber in terms of durometer. That said, the adjusters may be constructed from a plurality of materials that may provide the substantially incompressible or incompressible characteristics desired and one of skill in the art would know how to make and use the material to provide the desired firmness without the need for specific units provided. As a general guidance, materials typically having durometer, on a Shore A scale greater than 30 would suffice. The spacers may be made from or any combination of, for example, plastic, wood, metal, firm foam, rubber, rubberized material, fiberglass, cork, cardboard, particle board, polymer, composite, thermoplastic, elastomer, polymer, etc.

FIG. 2A. illustrates an embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support 200. In an embodiment, the base portion 205 comprises one or more strips of material that provide the structure for the adjusters 215. The base portion 205 may be constructed, for example, from strips of rubberized mat. In general, the base portion 205 may be constructed of any material or combination of that is flexible but sturdy like nylon belting for example. The base portion 205 may be comprised of a rectangular piece of reinforced fabric, firm foam, nylon belting, solid piece of fabric, knit fabric, rubberized mat, piece of vinyl, leather, plastic, woven belting, etc.

In an embodiment the spinal support may be constructed to be ventilated, or breathable to help reduce moisture.

In an embodiment, thickness adjuster securers 225 may be formed from soft rubber-like pegs. The pegs may be placed along the base portion 205 and receive the adjusters 215. The thickness adjuster securers 225 may be few or many and spaced as desired. Support fastener 210 may be any type of mechanism, device, system, or combination thereof that secures the spinal support to a recliner. For example, support fastener 210 may be a loop of elastic attached on both ends to the base that may be stretched to go over a headrest on a car seat.

FIG. 2B. illustrates another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support 200. Support stabilizer 210 is shown as an adjustable strap with mating connectors 212. A variety of materials/parts may be used to construct the support stabilizer 210 as one of skill in the art would readily determine. For example, the fastener may be a system, harness, straps, ties, rope, elastic, belt, nylon belt, woven belting, a horizontal and vertical system, a vertical system, a horizontal system, strands of fabric, ribbon, bungee-type rope, etc.

FIG. 2B illustrates how the securer 225 may be configured in an embodiment. The securer 225 may be constructed from the same types of material as described for that of the support fastener 210. In and embodiment, securer 225 may be made from an adjustable belt that weaves in and out of the base 205 to allow the thickness adjuster(s) (a.k.a. forms) 215 to slide under. The securer 225 may be tightened down from the back 220 and secure the thickness adjuster(s) 215.

FIG. 3A. illustrates yet another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support 300. In an embodiment the support base 305 comprises a surface like Velcro® that the thickness spacer 315 may attached to. The Velcro® would be the thickness spacers securer 325 portion of the support base. The thickness spacer 315 may have a mating Velcro® surface on their bottom side enabling them to adhere to the support base 305. Side view of thickness spacer 315 illustrates this concept. The stabilizer 310 may be, for example, pieces of cording attached to the support base 305 that may be tied 312 around a recliner to secure the spinal support in place.

FIG. 3B. illustrates another embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support 300. In an embodiment the base 305 comprises male or female snaps. The snaps may be considered the spacer securer 325 portion of the base 305. Spacer(s) 315 would have mating male or female snaps on them that would enable them to attach to the base 305 in a secure manner. Side view of spacer(s) 315 illustrates how the snaps may be placed on the bottom portion. The snaps may be plastic, heavy duty, nylon etc. Fastener 310 may be a system of straps that have mating connector ends 312 such that the straps may attach the spinal support 300 to a recliner 101 in a secure but detachable manner. The spacer securer 325 may be made of ligature, tongue in groove joints or any type of connections as is well known in the art.

FIG. 4. illustrates an embodiment(s) of the adjustable spinal support 400. In an embodiment, the support structure 405 may comprise holes or slots where a portion of the spacer 415 may poke through the holes or slots 407 and be secured by a spacer securer 425 on the backside of the base. For example, a cotter pin may be pushed through a small opening 418 located on the bottom side of the spacer 415. FIG. 4 helps illustrate another embodiment of the spacer. The spacer(s) may be stacked or combined loosely not connecting to each other, may be formed with a single solid thickness, or may be able to connect to each other like Legos® to create the desired thicknesses. FIG. 4 helps illustrate this concept. For example, spacer 415A shows the spacer 415 being connected 417 to each other like Legos®. However, one of skill in the art would know that any number of types of connections may be used to accomplish the same function as is well known in the art. While spacer 415B shows how the spacer may be a single thickness individually. FIG. 4 illustrates how the support structure 405 may be a different shapes like an oval, oblong, square, or rectangle. Fastener 410 may be an elastic loop securely attached to one end of the base, and secured in a removably detachable fashion with a snap or connector on the other end.

FIG. 5. illustrates a bed view of the embodiment(s) 500. The recliner in this view is a bed 501. The base 505 may be larger sized spanning the width of the mattress. The support stabilizing system 510 may be a system that secures the base 505 to the mattress. The adjuster securer 525 as shown here may be stretchable tubular shaped receptacles. The contour adjustor 515 as shown in this embodiment may be varying in numbers within adjuster securer 525 to create a customized spinal contour. In addition, support stabilizing system 510 may comprise something as simple as sticky type substance on the bottom side of the base that would prevent the base from slipping around while in use. For example, a type of silicon based layer may allow the base 505 to be removably secured on the bed 501.

In another embodiment, a method for using an adjustable spinal support apparatus, system, and device is described. A spinal support is placed on a recliner by using a fastener to removably secure the spinal support to the recliner. The fastener may be attached to a base portion of the spinal support. A base portion is configured to house (hold) a plurality of thickness adjusters. The thickness adjusters are removably secured to the base. A person may customize the spinal contour to their exact preference by adding and subtracting the thickness spacers along the length the spinal support.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. Similarly, any process steps described might be interchangeable with other steps in order to achieve the same result. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the embodiments and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the embodiments be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather means “one or more.” Moreover, no element, component, nor method step in the described disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the following claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . . . .”

It should be understood that the figures illustrated in the attachments, which highlight the functionality and advantages of the described embodiments, are presented for example purposes only. The architecture of the described embodiments are sufficiently flexible and configurable, such that it may be utilized (and navigated) in ways other than that shown in the accompanying figures.

In addition, the conjunction “and” when used in the claims is meant to be interpreted as follows: “X, Y and Z” means it can be either X, Y or Z individually, or it can be both X and Y together, both X and Z together, both Y and Z together, or all of X, Y, and Z together.

Furthermore, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the described embodiments in any way. It is also to be understood that the steps and processes recited in the claims need not be performed in the order presented.

Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

The various features of the embodiments described herein may be implemented in different systems without departing from the embodiments. It should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are merely examples and are not to be construed as limiting the embodiments. The description of the embodiments is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. As such, the described teachings may be readily applied to other types of apparatuses and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for adjustable spinal support, comprising: at least one thickness adjuster; a support base that supports a plurality of thickness adjusters, wherein the thickness adjusters are incompressible; a securer attached to the support base, wherein the securer secures the at least one thickness adjuster to the base; and a support fastener attached to the support base.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the securer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: stretchable tubular receptacles, at least one belt, male pegs, Velcro, metal snaps, elastic cord, ligature, tongue and groove joints, plastic snaps, nylon snaps and pins.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stretchable tubular receptacles comprise at least three receptacles constructed in part of an elastically stretchable membrane, elastic, spandex, knit fabric, mesh, netting, and ligature.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusters comprises rectangular shaped substantially incompressible forms of various thicknesses.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the various thicknesses range from between 0.1 inches to 5 inches.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusters are stacked to form cumulative varying thicknesses.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusters are secured to the base in varying thicknesses across a portion of the length of the base to form a customizable ergonomic support contour for the spine.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support base is rectangular, oblong, or oval shaped and is at least one selected from the group consisting of: piece of fabric, rubberized mat, reinforced fabric, vinyl, leather, strip of nylon belt, plastic, hemp, and a plurality of strips of nylon belt.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fastener is at least one selected from the group consisting of: harness, vertical and horizontal strap system, loop, ties, belt, adjustable straps, strands, rope, adjustable straps with mating connectors, and elastic.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fastener secures the support base to a chair, bed, car seat, headrest, backrest, cushion, mattress, lawn chair, lounge chair, sofa, recliner, wheelchair, airplane seat, stretcher, bed platform, or box spring.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusters are various lengths such that some do not extend the entire width of the support base.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusters are various lengths in the range between 1 inch and 76 inches.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable spinal support is ventilated.
 14. A device for adjustable spinal support, comprising: a support structure comprising a plurality of stretchable tubular shaped receptacles; at least one spacer, wherein the spacer comprises substantially incompressible thickness; wherein at least one tubular receptacle contains at least one spacer; and a support fastener attached to the support structure, wherein the fastener attaches the spinal support to a recliner.
 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the stretchable tubular shaped receptacles comprise at least three receptacles constructed in part of an elastically stretchable membrane, elastic, spandex, knit fabric, mesh, netting, and ligature.
 16. The device of claim 14, wherein the spacers comprise rectangular shaped substantially incompressible forms of various thicknesses in the range from between 0.1 inches to 5 inches.
 17. The device of claim 14, wherein the spacers are stacked to form cumulative varying thicknesses, and wherein the spacers are various lengths in the range between 1 inch and 76 inches.
 18. An adjustable spinal support, comprising: means for supporting a plurality of thickness spacers, wherein the thickness spacers are non-deforming; means for securing at least one thickness spacer to the means for supporting; and means for fastening the adjustable spinal support to a reclining device.
 19. The adjustable spinal support of claim 18, wherein the means for securing comprises: at least one selected from the group consisting of: stretchable tubular receptacles, at least one belt, male pegs, Velcro, metal snaps, elastic cord, ligature, tongue and groove joints, plastic snaps, nylon snaps and pins.
 20. The adjustable spinal support of claim 18, wherein the thickness spacers comprise rectangular shaped substantially incompressible forms of various thicknesses in the range from between 0.1 inches to 5 inches. 